Day 2,205

Growth:

I can easily get caught up in “doing” and not give myself enough time to be “being.” Taking time to just “be” and not have to accomplish anything or work on anything can be a wonderful sensation and lead to profound insights. I’m a do-er by nature and my natural state of rest is motion. It’s important for me to remember to stop doing sometimes and just be instead.

Appreciation:

Today Becky and took the day off and knocked one off her bucket list, a boat tour to see Witch’s Gulch in the Upper Dells. We started the day with our normal run, got a few things done, and then headed to the Dells, stopping to hike along the way. The views were awesome all around.

What I enjoyed most was just spending with Becky doing something we both are passionate about doing – spending time being lost in a sense of awe at the wonders of the natural world. I’m grateful for our shared interests and the time we spend together.

Presence:

So many moments of presence today! Many involved trees like this one:

An entire tree growing atop a flat piece of rock less than a foot and a half thick suspended over nothing but air. Wild!!!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,204

Growth:

Labels are insodious and dangerous things when used to describe certain things, especially people and our personalities. While re-re-re-reading Awareness by Anthony de Mello this concept kept hitting me harder and harder. So often I label others and myself. When I do it is so easy for me to put on blinders to all I should be seeing. I must remember to notice when I use labels and to take action to go outside of them.

Appreciation:

After Dad passed away some of my teammates gave us a gift card for a tree to remember Dad. Becky named it “Pete“ – perfectly fitting. This time of year Pete changes to such a beautiful color. There is so much to learn from this tree and the cycles it goes through. I’m grateful for this wonderful gift which keeps giving.

Presence:

I love audiobooks while driving, but today I had to pause it and get Gavin’s attention. Driving through a forest at just the right time caused a spectacular sight. The sunlight was reflecting off the orange, yellow, and red leaves on the trees and made the entire scene glitter with an orange glow. Nature’s beauty, such a stunner today!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,203

Growth:
One of my favorite quotes was from a wonderful novel by Terry Pratchett – The Light Fantastic.

Travel is a passion, but there’s something special about traveling home.

Appreciation:
My boys are so blessed to have their Grandpa Ken in their life. Today was another successful hunting experience for Gavin, another in an almost annual pilgrimage between the boys and their grandpa. Along with the hunting we’re other wonderful moments including seeing Gavin smiling while helping with firewood. Days like this will stay with them their entire life. What a gift!

Presence:
When I was very young, well before kindergarten, my dad built a house. Next to the lot was a field in which my parents planted small pine seedlings.

When I was growing up in the house I called home there was an open field nearby. There were a handful of small trees and brush, but it was almost all open.

Today I drive past both. I had to slow the car to take in what I saw. My mind was hyper focused on the present as it struggled to grasp both the sight and the bigger picture of what the reality meant.

There were towering pines in the first field. There was a pine forest in the other. One an example of the growth upward, the other of growth outward. Both immediately grounding me in the present as I soaked the sights in.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,202

Growth:

On our drive up north I had a pretty cool experience with Gavin. He’d hopped on his phone for a little bit so I turned on an audiobook. As I was listening to Awareness for the fourth time this year I caught Gavin chuckling at a line here and there. Occasionally he’d ask questions or make statements about what was being covered. At one point he even put his phone away and listened along with me. Learning while learning with Gavin was pretty fantastic!

Appreciation:

My buddy Steve uploaded some videos from his ongoing through hike of the almost 500 mile Colorado Trail. One was this:

Presence:

A few summers back “Uncle Steve” and I took my boys out to Colorado for some hiking and to climb a mountain. Along the way we stopped to take a short trail. At the beginning was a stand of aspen. Steve smiled and recited the entire The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost.

The moment was so completely unexpected that it commanded my full presence to take it in – just as it did for the boys. Thanks to that extreme focus those moments are forever burned into my mind and have become one of my three favorite memories with Steve throughout our friendship.

The ability of presence to engrave memories is truly awesome.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,201

Growth:

To be honest, I’ve written tonight’s blog backwards from Presence to Appreciation to Growth. The moment of presence led to the rest.

The song Numb by Linkin Park is one I’ve always enjoyed but had never really listened to intently. On my run this morning in the quiet of the pre-dawn woods I finally focused on it completely.

The words spoke to me from a level of understanding of a situation in life which echoed the song. I repeated it a few times and almost had chills due to its accuracy. I felt like I could have been singing the song.

After the third time my brain took it in from another perspective. It shifted almost completely opposite to a cautionary tale of how easily my desire could shift to the negative. I paused the music during my run for a moment and just thought about it. In those moments I realized how important it is for me to remember to listen to what others want to accomplish rather than wish my dreams for them. I can help others see dreams, but I can’t want it for them, they need to follow their passion. Show possibility rather than sell possibility. Failure to do so switches my role within the song to the antagonist.

Appreciation:

Music is such a powerful art. The ability to convey messages and stories in such a different vehicle than speech is a gift we’re do blessed to have. Today I’m grateful for learning more about myself through song. I may have stumbled upon the same lesson in a different way at some point, but this will resonate for much longer thanks to the combination of music and word.

Presence:

Running with Becky is definitely my favorite. If there’s an option I’ll choose that one. Today she was out of town for work so I ran on my own. Running in the dark on a quiet road surrounded by the stillness of the forest felt wonderfully soothing. The smells of fall leaves added to the magic of the moment. It also led to me listening more deeply to the music than usual and led to the insights above. What a perfect moment of stillness!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,200

Growth:

I know that we all think differently than each other and have different strengths. Why do I continue to view others through the lens of “me” rather than defaulting to the lens of “them”? So simple, so powerful, so difficult to train myself. Practice, practice, practice.

Appreciation:

Tonight I was able to find pockets of moments with each of the boys individually. We joked and had fun, we talked about values, and we shared life lessons. So grateful for those times with them one on one!

Presence:

Driving to Winona with the sun just about to rise behind my right shoulder. The clouds cover over ninety percent of the sky but leave just enough gaps to allow some funky orange sunlight through. The changing leaves glitter along the shores of a purple hued Mississippi River. A line of over fifty pelicans drift south along the river. Simply stunning.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,199

Growth:

If I start with an idea I’ll often come up with a really good idea. If I start with a “why” and a “purpose” I’ll usually come up with a much better idea. Remember to define the challenge prior to solving it.

Appreciation:

Soccer parents pretty much become family as the seasons go on. Spending time with that family tonight had me smiling, laughing, & full of joy.

Presence:

Over lunch I took LuLu for a walk. That in of itself was a lesson in presence. Stopping to watch the bright red, almost crimson leaves if the maple tree blowing in the wind and the sunlight caused them to almost shimmer and change colors? Divine!

Thanks!!!